Damascus

Understand

Established between 10,000 to 8,000 BCE, Damascus is credited with being one of, if not the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. The world heritage listed old-walled city, in particular, feels very ancient and largely consists of a maze of narrow alleys, punctuated by enigmatic doors that lead into pleasing, verdant courtyards and blank-faced houses. The old city still has an authentic medieval feel to it, although this was quickly vanishing due to the increasing tourist traffic as the city continued to be highlighted as an attraction. Life, however, goes on in the old-walled city, which is still the religious and social center of the city. Due to the Syrian Civil War which began in 2011, many services in the city, including transportation, accommodation and consular services, have been severely disrupted. Power interruptions are frequent, the Syrian pound currency has been subject to hyperinflation (to the point where prices listed here are meaningless) and the war is not far from mind even during the brief moments when life goes on normally. Many have left the country, been drafted into military service or killed in action. On December 8, 2024, rebel groups entered Damascus and captured it, ending the Assad regime. The city is home to about 2.5 million people (2022), and the metropolitan area to 5 million. Large parts of the article describes the situation before the war. While the security situation is generally improving in Syria and especially in Damascus, travel to most of Syria is still considered very unsafe by most governments.

Getting there

By plane As of March 2026, flights to Damascus are limited, but beginning to increase. Several major carriers are resuming flights with scheduled services now available from regional hubs such as Istanbul and Doha. National carrier SyrianAir operates a small regional network with flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Baghdad, Dubai, Doha and Kuwait City several times per week. Only taxi companies are allowed to pickup customers from the airport. Taxi fares may vary depending on your bargaining skills – but all licensed taxis have meters, and you are probably better off by insisting on their use. There are also buses departing for Baramkeh bus station in the center of town (airport buses are the only ones which serve this bus station now. All other services have moved to the new out-of-town Soumaria bus station). There are departures every half an hour, 24 hours a day. At the airport, get out of the terminal and turn right; you will find the bus at the end of the building. There is a small ticket office. The bus will drop you a bit far from the Old City, but there are many taxis around to get you there. Make sure to ask for the meter.

1 Damascus International Airport (مَطَار دِمَشْق الدَّوْلِيّ). DAM IATA. The airport is relatively well-equipped with most standard services. Getting Syrian pounds at Damascus International Airport might be tricky, as the change counters only accept US dollars. There are two ATMs in the main lobby that accept credit cards and foreign debit cards, but they tend to be unreliable. Your best bet is to bring a small amount of US dollars with you into Syria, and change it at the airport until you can withdraw from Damascus ATMs. (updated Jan 2024)

By train As of early 2025, all long-distance train services to Damascus are still suspended, including the once-weekly sleeper trains from Istanbul and Tehran. The historic Hejaz station in the city centre remains closed and future services will depart and arrive at from Al-Qadam railway station south of the city centre.

2 Al-Qadam railway station. (updated Jun 2021)

By car Service Taxis are available to Amman and Irbid in Jordan. Depending on the political situation, these also service Beirut and other points in Lebanon, as well as points in Iraq. Since the closure of the more central Baramkeh Station, these service taxis leave from Soumaria (pronounced like the girls' names "Sue Maria"), which is a 10- to 15-minute taxi ride from central Damascus, along Autostrade Mezzeh. The bus number 15 and 21 will take you to Soumaria station from the bus stop next to Matry's place.

By bus

Getting around

At rush hours (10:00-16:00), the best way of transport is on foot. Smoking is absolutely forbidden on all public transport.

By foot A very good idea is to go on foot especially for a sightseeing, and it's the only way to get around in Old Damascus. Walking in the new city however, should be reserved to the nicer areas of Maliki and Abu-Rumaneh, as the new city tends to be pollution clogged. The driving culture in Damascus is not the safest, so beware as a pedestrian, especially in the new city. Cars will not hesitate to come extremely close to pedestrians or other cars in order to pass.

By car It isn't a very good idea to rent a car in Damascus. There is almost always a traffic jam, especially in summer, and parking tends to be difficult too; although that isn't the situation in suburbs.

By bus Micro buses, also known as servees, are one of the main sources of transportation in Damascus. You can go from one place to another in Damascus with one or at most two journeys. When on the bus, give any passenger a coin and they will pass it to the driver and return the change. Remember to tell that passenger how many people you are paying for, whether you are in a group, or that you are paying "for one" ("waahid") if you are alone. The route is written (in Arabic only) on the roof sign. Micro buses do not generally have fixed stops except at very busy points, just beckon to the driver and they will stop near you (Al yameen, andak iza samaht). There are also many city buses. One useful bus is #15, which runs from Al-Marjeh Square (Souq Sarouja\Old Town) to the Western Bus Station, which serves Beirut and Amman.

By taxi

Taxis are plentiful in Damascus, making them a great mode of transportation. The taxis of Star Taxi, a private company, are more expensive than normal taxis, but they are also more comfortable and safer. You can call their headquarters and they will send the nearest taxi to your door. Taxis with the Damascus Governorate logo on the side and a number on the roof sign are normally equipped with a meter, and it is best to use only these when hailing a taxi on the street. You should normally leave a tip as well as the fare on the meter. At night, taxi drivers do not usually use the meter, so you may be best off negotiating the price before you get in. A service taxi to Amman or Beirut takes around 4 hours and run 24 hours. Do not hesitate to take them; they are clean vehicles with air conditioning.

See

The Souq al-Hamidiyya, a broad street packed with tiny shops, is entered through columns from a Roman temple built on a site that had been occupied by an even older temple. The souqs themselves smell of cumin and other distinctive spices and you can find passages dedicated to everything from leather and copper goods to inlaid boxes and silk scarves. At the end of Souq al-Hamidiyya stands the great Umayyad Mosque; this building with three minarets is an architectural wonder. It was an Assyrian temple, then a Roman temple to Jupiter, a church when Rome converted to Christianity, then a mosque and a church together, and finally a mosque until now. All the symbols are still pretty much there and some Christian drawings can still be very clearly seen on the walls inside. The mosque contains the grave of John the Baptist (prophet Yahya to Muslims) inside the main lounge. Muslims also believe that this is the site where Jesus will descent back to Earth on his Second Coming. Women are asked to be to cover their hair, arms and legs. Abayas (full-body covers) are provided with the entrance ticket. It is one of the most sacred sites of Islam, and it welcomes foreign tourists, who are allowed to walk around the prayer area. At the other end of Souq al-Hamidiyya is a fort-like section of the extant city wall that is the Citadel (but make sure to visit Aleppo's Citadel for a truly amazing experience). Nearby, you can visit the Mausoleum of Salah al-Din, known in the west as Saladin, the chief anti-crusader. There's a great statue of him on horseback right next to the citadel, which will make you gasp. If you walk all the way around it, there are two dejected Frankish knights underneath the horse's slightly lifted tail. These two knights are identified by inscriptions as Guy de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, and Reynald de Chatillon, lord of Kerak, an important fortress in the Holy Land. Both were captured during Salah al-Din's definitive victory at Hattin; Guy was imprisoned in Damascus and eventually released, but Reynald was executed as punishment for his many atrocities.

Old Damascus 1 Temple of Jupiter. Roman temple, built in the 1st century BCE. (updated Jul 2021) 2 Umayyad Mosque (الْجَامِع الْأُمَوِي). (updated Jun 2021) 3 Azm Palace. Built in 1749, it includes a museum describing the life of royal families. (updated Oct 2018) 4 Citadel of Damascus. Medieval fortified palace and citadel, now partly ruined. (updated Jul 2021) 5 Statue of Saladin (تمثال صلاح الدين الأيوبي). Unveiled in 1993, marking the 800th anniversary of Saladin's death. (updated Feb 2024) 6

Do

View the city from Mount Qasioun is a must-do activity in Damascus as it offers a panoramic view. The peak is accessible at any time, although the view is perhaps most spectacular at night when the whole city is lit up and the minarets of mosques are bathed in green light. The Umayyad Mosque in the old town is particularly impressive when viewed from the mountain. There is a wide range of food and refreshment available on the peak from stalls to fancy restaurants that serve good local cuisine and alcohol. Check the price before you get too comfortable though as it is a well-known scam for taxi drivers to take you to their 'favorite' cafe, where you'll end up paying a fortune for a cup of tea. Visit a restaurant in old Damascus. There are many restaurants in the old quarter each with their own unique character, but perhaps the most famous (and touristy) is "Beit Jabri", although "Al-Khawali" is considered by many to be the best dining experience in the old city. Another restaurant in the old city, Narcissus Palace, located close to Maktab Anbar, would offer an enlightening experience. Every night, a singer and band play old Arabic music and create an amazing atmosphere in the restaurant. A good idea, when considering these restaurants, is to go for breakfast, and then go sightseeing. The breakfast is very cheap. Relax at a Hooka cafe "Narjelah" Hooka cafes are popular in Damascus and are easy to find. When visiting the old city, you'll get a more cultural or traditional experience. You'll probably find a crowd of tea-drinking, backgammon-playing men all smoking hooka. In the modern city, most cafes cater to a younger crowd and are a big part of the night life offering a huge variety of flavored tobacco ranging from double apple which is the most common, to cappuccino. In almost every major restaurant, hookas are available, including the restaurants in the old city. 1 Damascus Opera House. (updated Jul 2021)

Hammams Bathing in a hammam, i.e., a Turkish bath, is a great way of both soaking up the atmosphere of Old Damascus and to be rejuvenated after a long day. Two baths that are familiar with Western tourists are Nur-al-Din Bath and Bakri Bath. A visit to either includes towels, soap, scrub, a massage and a tea. The price is typically composed of bath entry, scrub, sauna, massage, and extras such as tea or soap. Nur-al-Din is for men only, Bakri might be able to accommodate women or mixed groups upon prior arrangement. Bakri Bath: for women each day except Friday 10:00-17:00.

Nur-al-Din Bath (between the Azem Palace and Straight Street). (updated

Buy

As of Jan 2026, credit and debit cards are being re-introduced in Syria. Cash remains the most reliable form of payment. Travelers should bring enough cash with them to last the duration of their trip, to then exchange once in Syria. US dollars are the most easily convertible foreign currency, but euros and some other currencies can be exchanged. Damascus offers some of the best shopping in the Middle East. Prices are cheap, and since very few stores depend on tourists for their income, most will leave you alone to browse until you are ready to buy. Small stores are found throughout the old city, although the Souq al-Hamidiyya, located along the Roman straight street, offers the highest density of shops. The souq is a fantastic experience, but be prepared for the crowds.

1 Al-Hamidiyah Souq (سُوق ٱلْحَمِيدِيَّة). (updated Jan 2024)

Eat

Budget

The famous vegetarian falafel sandwich, chicken shawarma, and manakeesh, bread filled with zatar, spinach, meat, pizza-style tomato and cheese or other fillings are widely available and cheap. Less common but still widely spread are places which sell foul (boiled fava beans with sauce) and hummus. A typical Damascene dish is fatteh, made up of soaked bread, chickpeas and yogurt. Delicious and extremely filling, it is excellent on a cold winter's day. Try it with lamb or sheep's tongue, or plain with the typical garnish of a little pickle and nuts. There is a foul restaurant on Souq Saroujah, the same street as hotel Al-Haramein and one at the bab touma square. Also in this "backpacker district" on Souq Sarouja is Mr Pizza serving good pizzas, sandwiches, burgers and fries. Shawarma is, of course, popular in Damascus. It comes in different varieties, including chicken and beef. Station One (near the Noura Supermarket in Abu Rumaneh) is one of many restaurants that serve shawarma throughout the city. In order to really experience local Syrian cuisine, be sure to visit a section of Damascus called Midan. It lies south of the old city and can easily be reached by walking south from the western entrance to Souq al-Hamadiyya or from Bab Saghir. There is a main street there called Jazmatiya which offers an unlimited amount of shawerma & falafel stands, butcher shops/restaurants and plenty of Syrian pastry shops which are clearly marked by 2.5-metre-high towers of sweets stacked on top of each other. Be sure to try Shawarma from "Anas," which makes some of the best sandwiches in Damascus. This main street is best to visit at night and doesn't close till around 03:00. The street is very safe and is always very busy. Another unusual treat is a camel kebab, available tasty and fresh from the camel butchers outside Bab Saghir. As they typically advertise their wares by hanging a camel head and neck outside the premises, you're unlikely to miss them. Fresh juice stalls are available all over the city. Orange juice (aasir beerdan) and other fruits are available. Many fruit stalls also have a range of dishes like hot dog, sojouq (Armenian sausage), liver (soda) and meat (kebab etc.). These may not always be the safest to eat. Fruits and vegetables which are not peeled might cause infections, but are still very good. Select places that have a steady stream of customers. The area around Martyr's square is polluted with pastry shops selling sweet, tasty and cheap baklava. Do not try to eat in empty places, only crowded restaurants and food places are safe otherw

Drink & nightlife

The coffee houses of Old Damascus were something to experience. Hours could dissolve over a cup of shay (tea) or ahwa (coffee) among the smoke of a nargileh (water pipe) . An-Naufara (which means 'The Fountain') was a wonderful place to do this, just east of the Umayyad Mosque. There was even a Hakawati (a traditional story teller) present at 19:00 most nights. If you were craving a European coffee, you could have headed for Abu Rommeneh street and looked for the Bennetton clothing store. There were a number of fancy cafés in the area, including the Middle Eastern chain Inhouse Coffee, which is similar to Starbucks in its prices and atmosphere. Free Wi-Fi was offered at each location throughout the city. Apart from that, Damascus has a lively nightlife scene, with numerous bars and nightclubs offering drinks and dancing. While prostitution is commonplace in many venues, there are decent places worth visiting, particularly around the Bab Sharqi area, such as La Serai and La Vida Loca. Many establishments have closed because of the war; as of mid-2016 there have been reports of businesses gradually returning to the Old City or Old Quarter of Damascus. Old Town establishments which have reopened include:

La Marionnette Pub, الشهبندر مقابل وزارة التربية, ☏ +963 958 741 013. (updated Apr 2016) 1 Pub Sharqi (شرقي), Al Qashla Avenue, ☏ +963 965 992 200. (updated Sep 2017) 2 Havana Cafe (مَقْهًى الْهَافَانَا). Established in 1945, this café was for a long time the main meeting place of the cultural elite in Damascus. (updated Jul 2021)

Sleep

Souq-Al-Saroujah is where you find the cluster of backpacker hotels. Martyr's Square or "Merjeh" in Arabic is the other place worth considering if you're on a tight budget, though many of the places double as brothels. However, at least the hotels below can be recommended. Women alone should avoid hotels at Merjeh Square, because it's the red light district of Damascus. Most hotels in Damascus claiming to be 5 stars are actually closer to what Western travellers know as 2 stars. The Syrian government runs its own accreditation agency that gives highly suspect inflated ratings to hotels owned by Syrian chains and those that have paid "baksheesh" (bribes) to the authorities. Due to the American sanctions of Syria, credit cards linked to US banks will not be accepted (this is pretty much every credit card in the world).

Budget 1 Rosa Damascena Guest House, Old City, Shagur Islah Street (from the spice market in Old Town about a 5 minutes walk South), ☏ +963 944 289 860. Friendly and cute guest house with a nice courtyard, common area, kitchen and good 24h wifi. In a great neighborhood just outside the old city. 15-20$ per night for single/double room. (updated Feb 2026) Al-Rabie Hotel, Sharia bahsa, Souq saroujah (on an attractive side street about a 5-10 minute walk from the citadel), ☏ +963 11 231-8374, [email protected]. It has an attractive courtyard, and clean rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Some of the rooms that share a bath are a bit of a hike from the bath and shower rooms. No alcohol allowed on the premises. The design of the hotel is beautiful but staff can be very rude and don't expect to be made to feel welcome. Hotel Al-Ghazal, Sharia souq saroujah (in souq Saroujah, at the street turning out towards Jisr-Al-Thawra, the revolution bridge), ☏ +963 11 231-3736, [email protected]. Also known as Ghazal Hotel, this hotel is a newcomer in the Saroujah budget hotels. It has a very attractive, typical Damascus courtyard. For breakfast, they serve the usual range of teas and coffees and good water pipe free of charge. You can bring alcohol to drink in the courtyard. Rooms and facilities are new. Several new, clean bathrooms with hot water and also a hostel portion in the same structure. There is safe for valuables. Owners are helpful and service-minded, but they speak less English than their competitors and don't arrange tours or otherwise on a regular basis (but could still probably help out if you ask). English spoken enough to arrange rooms, get/give directions and special circumstances. For foreign students of Arabic,